Automatic valve apparatus



Feb; 28, 1956 l H. l.. HARDE 2,736,037

AUTOMATIC VALVE APPARATUS Filed June 18, 1954 IN VEN TOR. W

Y @2a/gf United States Patent O AUTOMATIC VALVE APPARATUS Harry L. Hardie, Lorain, Ohio Application June 18, 1954, Serial No. 437,797

7 Claims. (Cl. 4-26) This invention relates to an automatic valve and particularly to valves for use in commode tanks.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a valve system which automatically closes when the tank is emptied for relling the tank.

Another object of the invention is to provide a valve which is closed by water entering the tank.

Another object of the invention is to direct a jet stream of Water against a valve to close the valve when the water level falls below the level of the jet.

Other objects of the invention will become apparent from the accompanying description and claims in conjunction with the drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a sectional View of a tank illustrating the invention; and

Figure 2 is a fragmentary view of the invention along the line 2 2 of Figure 1.

Throughout the description and claims the term water is used in the broad sense and it is understood that the device will operate in many liquids other than water. The tank 10 is tight and will hold water under pressure. The tank has an inlet jet 11 and an outlet or drain 12. The inlet jet 11 is connected to any suitable source of water supply under pressure and the outlet 12 may be directed to any place where it is desired to discharge a large quantity of water very quickly and automatically stop the discharge of water when the tank becomes empty.

Pivoted to the outlet 12 is a valve member 13 having a closure 14 seatable against a valve seat 15 on the outlet 12; the valve member 13 also has a plate 16 which may be positioned in line with the inlet jet 11.

Pivotally mounted on the tank 1i) is an operating handle 17 connected through a lever arm 18, a tubular member 19, and a valve stick 2) to the valve member 13. The lever arm 18 is pivotally connected to the tubular member 19. The valve stick 20 freely slides in the tubular member 19 and has one end pivotally connected to the valve member 13.

The valve is illustrated in solid lines in Figure 1 in its closed position. To open the valve the handle 17 is turned relative to the tank 10 causing tube 19 to push against the end of rod 20 to pivot the valve member 13. The phantom lines illustrate the valve member in the open position just prior to releasing the handle 17. The handle 17 may be provided with a spring mechanism (not illustrated) which will cause it to return to its normal position as soon as manual pressure thereon is released. The sliding t of the valve stick 20 in the tubular member permits the valve member 13 to remain in the open position after the handle 17, lever arm 18, and the tubular member 19 have returned to their normal positions. The sliding t along with the pivot connections will permit the valve member to again seat on the valve as will be hereinafter described.

The outlet 12 and its associated valve member 13 are spaced at a distance from the inlet jet 11 and are aligned so that a jet stream of water from the inlet jet 11 will be directed against the plate 16 when the valve member 13 2,736,037 Patented Feb. 28, 1956 ICC is in its open position. Positioned between the jet 11 and the valve member 13 is a baie 21 secured to the tank 10 and havingran eye 22 in the path of the jet stream.

Starting with a full tank of water the operation is as follows. The handle 17 is manually turned to pivot the valve member 13 to unseat the closure 14 from the valve seat 15 on outlet 12 and move the valve member 13 into the position ofthe phantom lines of Figure 1. The water in the tank immediately starts owin'g out of the 'outlet '12 and Water begins entering the tank through inlet 11. The jet stream of water entering through inlet 11 is dispersed by the water in the tank and the bafe 21 so that it does not immediately close the outlet 12. As soon as the water level in the tank gets below the path of the jet stream the incoming water jets through the eye 22 and against the plate 16 to pivotally move the valve member 13. and seat the closure 14 against the valve seat 15 thus closing the outlet 12. Water continues to flow into the tank 10 through the inlet jet 11 until the tank is full and the water pressure in the tank is equal to the water pressure of the water supply. The tank is then ready for another cycle of operation.

In many instances it is not necessary to have a high water line pressure forcing water through the jet 11. Actual tests have shown that a 10 pound water pressure will operate the device satisfactorily. When it is desired to regulate the water pressure, a pressure regulator 23 of any suitable design may be connected between the inlet jet 11 and the water supply.

Although this invention has been described in its preferred form with a certain degree of particularity, it is understood that the present disclosure of the preferred form has been made only by way of example and that numerous changes in the details of construction and the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and the scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.

What is claimed is:

1. A valve system comprising a tank having a bottom and having an inlet at a deiinite distance above said bottom and an outlet, a valve on said outlet at a spaced distance from the inlet, means for manually opening the valve, said valve also having means positioned in alignment with the inlet and at the same distance above said bottom whereby fluid entering the tank through the inlet will hit said means and close the valve when the iiuid level of the tank is closer to the bottom than the inlet.

2. The structure of claim l including a bale positioned between the inlet and outlet and having an eye aligned in the path of the incoming uid.

3. The structure of claim 1 wherein said outlet has a valve seat and valve closure means pivotally connected thereto and seatable against the valve seat.

4. The structure of claim 2 wherein said outlet has a valve seat and valve closure means pivotally connected thereto and seatable against the valve seat.

5. ln a water system, means to supply water under pressure, a tank having a bottom for containing a supply of water under pressure, an inlet connecting said tank to said means, said inlet including jet means positioned in the tank to direct a jet stream of water into the tank at a predetermined water level and parallel to the bottoni of the tank, an outlet having a valve seat in the bottom of the tank for discharging water from the tank into an area of lower water pressure than the water pressure in the tank, a valve closure seatable against the valve seat and having valve operating means at said predetermined water level and responsive to the jet stream to seat the valve closure against the valve seat.

6. The structure of claim 5 including manually operable means connected to the valve closure for moving the valve closure from the valve seat.

7. In a Water system, means to supply Water under pressure, a tank having a bottom for containing a supply of Water under pressure, an inlet connecting said tank to said means, said inlet including jet means positioned in the tank to direct a jet stream of Water into the tank at a predetermined Water level and parallel to the bottom of the tank, an outlet having a valve seat in the bottom of the tank for discharging Water from the tank into an area of lower Water pressure than the Water pressure in the tank, a valve closure seatable against the valve seat and having valve operating means at said predetermined water level and responsive to the jet stream to seat the valve closure 4below the said predetermined Water level.

l'teterences Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,116,901 Loetzer Nov. 10, 1914 2,142,393 Halternan Ian. 3, 1939 2,154,982 Heath Apr. 18, 1939 2,512,695 Stout June 27, 1950 

